Marcus b



(No Model) M. R. JONES.

LETTER BOX.-

Patented Feb 6', 1883.

-. IN ENTQR;

ATTORNEYS.

N. Firms. Hnbw om Wm UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

MARCUS R. Jones, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THOMA WELBY, or sAMn PLAoE.

n SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 271,861, dated February 6, 1883.

Application filed October 26, 1882. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARCUS R. downs, of the cityof Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Indicators for Street and other Letter-Boxes, ofwhich the following is a full, clear,

and exact description, reference being had to the annexed drawings, lormingypart of this specification.

[O The object of thisinvention is to provide an indicatorfor letter-boxes, which shall be adapted for being conveniently set by the carrier when he collects them-ail to indicate the next hour for collecting the mail, and which shall 1 be adapted to remain set until the carrier shall have actually returned, collected the mail, and reset the indicator for the next hour ofcollection.

My invention consists of thenovel construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a letter-box with the door closed, showing the application of my invention; and Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. t.

2 A indicates a street letter-box of the usual construction, having an opening, a, near the top for the passage of letters into the box, and a door, 0, adapted to be let down near the bottom.

Between the opening a and the door 0 a hole is to be drilled through the wall of the box, through which hole an outer disk, B, and an inner disk, (J, are to be co'nnectedby means of an axle, c, which is preferably squared andfit- 5 ted into a corresponding perforation through the inner disk and rigidly secured to the surface of the outer one. It is thus designed that the two disks shall be adapted to rotate together. g

0 The outer disk, B, is to be provided with raised characters or numerals corresponding to the hours of a day, and over this outer disk is to be secured a case or shield, D, having an opening, 01, through which only one of the num- 5 bars may be seen at atime. This case is to be secured in position by means of a bolt, 6, in-

sertedfrom without through a perforation leading through the longitudinal axis of the axle c, and secured bya nut, e, on its inner end. The

outer surface of the case is also to be provided with characters, as shown in the drawings,-

which are to be read in connection with that appearing through the opening therein to ascertain the hour for collecting the mail. The inner disk is made somewhat larger than the outer one, and is provided with notches fin its periphery,corresponding to the numerals on the outer disk. Into any one ofthese notches a projection, g, on the inner surface of the door b is adapted to fit when the door is closed. As the inner disk projects slightly below the upper line of the doorway,it may be easily r0- tated. with the hand when the door is open to set the outer disk in any desired position. It is thus designed that the carrier shall set the dial for the next hour of collection when he leaves the box. In this manner it'may' be determined at any time whether the'carrier has collected the mail for the nearest appointed hour.

My invention, as above described, is adapted to be attached to letter-boxes at present in use in a simpleand inexpensive manner. Where new boxes are made it is designed that the two disks shall be formed in one piece and both arranged inside the box, the dial-face fitting in a recess formed in the wall, which thus takes the place of the case orfshield. I have also shown an inner shield, D, inclosiug the disk 0; but this is not thought to be necessary in practice.

I do not broadly claim a letter-box having a dial-plate adapted to be rotated to expose to view a number through an opening in the box, such a construction having before been used; nor do I claim adial-plate which is adapted to be held in a given position by intermediate mechanism engaging with the door. In my invention all intermediate mechanism between the dial-plate and door is dispensed with and the dial-plate is made to engage directly with the door.

What I claim is- 1. An indicator for letter-boxes, consisting of a disk having numerals thereon to indicate the hours, and which is arranged outside the letter-box, combined with an inner disk, which is connected thereto by a squared axle, and is provided with notches in its periphery, and a casing having an opening therein, and which is secured in position by a bolt passing through the said axle, and the door having a projection adapted to engage with said notches, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination ofthetwodisks,arranged respectively inside and outside the letter-box, and adapted to be rotated together, the outer disk having numerals thereon to indicate the hours and the inner disk having notches inits periphery, the casing secured over the outer disk and having an opening therein, and the door having means for engaging with and locking the inner disk when closed, substantially as shown and described.

3. In an indicator for letter-boxes, the cornhination, with the box and door, of a rotary dial-plate adapted to engage directly with the door without intermediate mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

MARCUS It. JONES.

Witnesses:

A. G. LYNE. SoLoN O. KEMoN. 

